I sometimes work with clients who struggle with making difficult dietary changes. Trendy advice on this topic often focuses on elimination and behavioral change, but the idea of shifting habits through removal and positive mindset alone can prove quite challenging for some.

This is where the concept of crowding out can serve as a potent strategy. Jonathan Rosenthal, founder of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (one of my alma maters), first introduced the crowding out strategy in 2007. Decades later, the concept remains a viable approach.

Taking a physiological approach to food addiction, the overall idea is to “crowd out” problematic foods with nutrient-dense choices. As the body receives the nutrients it needs, cravings naturally subside over time. The potential benefits of this approach are many, including less feelings of deprivation, reduced cravings, shifting taste buds, changing food preferences, and sustainability around healthy eating.

A person can resist dietary changes when unproductive foods bring them comfort, even though that comfort is usually temporary and comes at a cost. Whether it’s weight gain, bloating, brain fog, fatigue, digestive discomfort, chronic symptoms, or just a general feeling of unwellness, many people are very aware that they are paying a price for their vices but struggle with letting them go.

Jane (real name withheld) had a daily habit of eating chocolate in the late afternoon when her energy dipped. She knew she was paying a price for the daily habit but couldn’t stop.

I worked with Jane to make some dietary tweaks and bring in adrenal-supportive foods to begin to shift those late afternoon energy drops. In a short amount of time, she was able to sustain her energy through the work day, her weight started to come down, she was sleeping better, and her daily vice subsided.

There can be functional reasons behind food cravings, and this is where the crowding out approach, which centers on adding — not taking away, can be very supportive. Here is a simple road map to the strategy:

Consider Your Cravings. Cravings can be signs that your body is missing nutrients. Cravings for sweet foods can indicate a need for glucose, critical natural sugar that our bodies need for fuel. Bringing fruit into your diet several times a day can be very beneficial to shifting sweet cravings.

Cravings for salty foods can indicate a lack of trace mineral salts. Bringing in trace mineral-rich foods like cucumber, celery, and other vegetables can help to reduce salty cravings.

Cravings for fatty foods can actually indicate a need for energy or struggling adrenals. Bringing a combination of glucose-rich foods and mineral salt-rich foods into your diet can be very supportive for these kinds of cravings.

Plan ahead. Stocking the kitchen with nutritious options and washing produce as soon as it comes home are two practices that help to make healthy choices more accessible and more likely to be consumed.

Consume nutrient-dense foods first. Frontloading good foods earlier in the day decreases the likelihood of derailing later in the day. When we “fill our tanks” first, the draw of these foods decreases. I have witnessed this many times — not only in my own life but with clients, family, and friends.

Aim for vibrant color. The most potent nutritional support comes from foods containing the most vibrant colors — fruits and vegetables in their raw form, followed by cooked fruits and vegetables, then healthy cooked grains and legumes like quinoa, oats, black beans, chick peas, and lentils.

Remember to hydrate. Lack of hydration can also trigger food cravings. Adding citrus to daily water intake infuses it with natural electrolytes for superior hydration at a deep cellular level. Your body will thank you later.

Listen to your body. One can feel very different after consuming a nourishing food versus a nutritionally-depleted one. Tune in to really get a sense of that distinction and build on it.

The idea of nutrition through abundance is ultimately about evolving a person’s relationship with food to naturally transition tastes, cravings and menus. Most significantly, eating better goes a long way toward thwarting possible stealth long-term health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other forms of chronic illness.

If you are someone who continues to struggle with unwanted food cravings or dietary habits, please feel free to reach out for more specific and nuanced 1:1 support.

If you are someone who continues to struggle with unwanted food cravings or dietary habits, please feel free to reach out for more specific and nuanced 1:1 support here.